In 23 June 2023, we reported that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will be taking legal action against Meta Platforms Inc, the parent company for popular social media platforms, Facebook and WhatsApp.
The government agency expressed dissatisfaction with Meta’s lack of cooperation and inadequate measures in addressing the presence of harmful content on their platforms. But it seems they are not going to pursue legal action anymore.
Reuters reports that Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said that they are having “positive” engagement with Meta about tackling harmful content on the social media platforms.
Fahmi stated that Meta had committed firmly to collaborating with Malaysian authorities, including the regulator and the police, to address problematic posts on its platforms. He expressed that, at present, initiating any legal action by MCMC was unnecessary, emphasising the positivity of the level of cooperation shown by Meta.
The government was contemplating measures like imposing fines on social media platforms if they failed to address harmful content.
Facebook is Malaysia’s largest social media platform, boasting an estimated 60% user base among the country’s 33 million people. Fahmi refuted concerns about increased government scrutiny of online content and denied giving orders to take down various opposition-linked news sites and social media accounts recently.
He added that these takedowns were likely a response to complaints from ordinary users for violating social media guidelines.
These incidents of content removal coincided with preparations for upcoming regional elections, pitting Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration against a conservative Malay-Muslim alliance.
Fahmi clarified that the government had no intention of restricting freedom of expression but emphasised that they drew the line when it came to content touching on race, religion, and royalty.
